24
Business is very simple, if you're willing or able to cut out all the needless pomp and frippery that so many insist upon.
If someone has something you need and is on equal standing, or will continue to have what you need in the future, you match payment and respect as necessary. Tit for tat.
If someone has what you want, but is lesser or weaker than you, or their usefulness ends after the transaction— then simply take what you desire from them. Their continued existence is their payment, assuming they don't make the mistake of demanding more and losing even that concession.
This is the manner in which debts are settled, no matter the good, service, or currency. A matter or debt of honor is a different beast entirely, however, because honor demands to be obeyed by the spirit rather than the letter. Matters of honor are personal, and unshakeable, and tricky to fulfill without loss, and should therefore be avoided at all costs. The only good news is that matters of honor can be avoided relatively easily if you simply do not go looking for them. Make your own space and keep to it, and honor can go fuck itself outside somewhere where you don't have to listen to it.
Unless, of course, honor finds a way to come looking for you, and refuses to be put down or ignored. But the chances of that are nigh-nonexistent.
Mostly.
Lung leaned his head into one hand and sighed, already feeling the headache this whole mess was going to graciously provide him with. Stupid dog.
"Lee," he asked. "What are the chances I can simply dismiss this as coincidence?"
The assassin moved from behind the couch and stood to the side, where Lung could see him better. After a moment's consideration, he responded. "Low."
"That's what I thought." Lung huffed. He was going to need to kidnap an accountant or something, he just knew it. Except then he'd be expected to pay them, too. Maybe even an annual tithe to the kami of the shrine… which reminded him of something.
"Lee. You know more about this than I. You believe the miko to be authentic? Or at least, the wolf?"
"Yes."
"Which kami do they claim to serve?" The assassin fidgeted, a motion that made the hair on Lung's neck prickle. "Lee. Tell me."
He did.
Lung exhaled through his teeth in a long, drawn out "Fffffffhhhhuuuuhhhhhhh…" sound, ending with a click of his teeth on the 'ck!' There went any hope of fulfilling his unlooked-for bargain to the letter only. If he did not handle this carefully, any perceived shortcoming would be an excuse to demand more of him, thus extending this entire troublesome affair. His best option was to turn the table upon his opponent, offer more than he owed, and thereby put the miko in debt to him instead. Or at least forestall any further requests.
Lung pinched the bridge of his nose, thinking. He had access to a few sources of legal currency— meaning he had a few ways of laundering money convincingly—but he was going to need to funnel more through them and contact an agent or two to make the necessary purchases. Seized goods would be cheaper by far, but they carried enough risk that he sincerely doubted the miko cape could handle the legal aspects. And if anything came back to bite her, her kami would have cause to come looking for Lung again. That meant he had to do this clean, on top of needing to reorganize the peasants enough to satisfy the agreement.
Goddamn it. This was going to be expensive. Perhaps he could delay things a bit, with needing to capture more territory and arrange new sources of income.
"Alright. Lee, here is what is going to happen…"
* * *
"Alright. Let me get this straight." Director Piggot sighed, leaning back in her chair as far as her aching body would allow her. "Two-thirds of the Empire wiped out in a single week, thanks to a series of increasingly ridiculous coincidences apparently orchestrated by a dog. A dog which may or may not be a very confused Case 53, or a changer cape, or a projection created by a second-gen child of one of our own. Said second-gen, when combined with said dog, has access to a selection of powers that our Thinkers are still trying to unravel the rules to. So much so that today they sent Armsmaster and myself an updated profile that simply labeled her as Shaker: Yes."
The aforementioned Tinker bit down on a frustrated huff. "We cannot assign accurate threat ratings to the pair until we understand more about their separate capabilities."
"A task that is looking increasingly unlikely, as analysis of the past week suggests either some fairly daunting combinations of Thinker powers, or straight-up precognition. And I refuse to consider the idea of a fortune-telling dog."
Assault chose to chime in, grinning. "So we're not renaming it 'Nostradogmus,' then?" Battery delivered a quick smack upside the head, before Director Piggot could request it.
"Actually, has anyone seen Good Dog since Wednesday?" Triumph interjected. "I half expected to come back from the transport on Thursday to find Skidmark or someone taped to the flag pole outside."
"It's stuck to the shrine and Brushstroke the past couple of days." Dauntless answered, then added, "But it might not have broken its villain-catching streak, exactly."
"Elaborate, if you would."
"I caught up on the recordings today. Purity dropped by on Thursday, while we were moving Hookwolf."
"That's more than just suspiciously timed. No shots fired, I assume, since you're only mentioning this now?" Armsmaster queried. Dauntless flushed slightly at the implied rebuke.
"None. Instead, they had tea. And I didn't hear a recruitment speech, either. Purity seemed kinda flustered, from what I could hear."
"If Purity had opened fire in the ABB territories, Lung would have responded almost immediately." Piggot hissed through her teeth. "There's a very real chance we would have had to abandon Hookwolf to to deal with Lung's rampage."
"But instead, Purity gets distracted by a dog, and Brushstroke invites her for tea. Master effect or not, that's a hell of a good trick," Assault added.
"Well, at least Brushstroke is on our side." Miss Militia spoke next. "Poor role model behavior aside, I'm a little surprised she hasn't asked to join the Wards. Or why she'd spend so much time fostering peaceful relations with the ABB when her father is a hero. If this is teenage rebellion, it's an odd one."
"Well, that would require her to know that her father is Chessman."
Chessman shifted uncomfortably in his seat as a few sets of eyes turned to him. "Don't look at me like that. I didn't want to worry her, or get her involved in any of this."
"Except now she's involved herself," Armsmaster said. "And with this latest display, we really can't continue to leave her be. Not without knowing her intentions."
"Speaking of— Armsmaster, didn't you say you were sending someone to check out the shrine directly, and ask around about Brushstroke?"
"I did, yes." Armsmaster nodded. "However, the results were...."
* * *
"Oh, it's so good to see the younger generations taking such interest in the old culture."
"Yes, yes. And so polite, too! So rare for young men to have learned any manners, these days."
"Would you like some more dango, Velocity-kun?"
The speedster beamed. "Arigato, Obaasan!"
* * *
"...inconclusive." He finished. Velocity sank a little lower in his seat. "There has been useful information gained more indirectly. Kid Win proved that Good Dog is indeed sapient, as it understands both language and the concept of bribery. Velocity gathered that the community opinion of Brushstroke is rather high, though only a few mentioned the existence of Good Dog."
"Implying that whatever their relationship, Brushstroke is definitely the 'face' of things. Seems consistent, Brushstroke hasn't shown any desire for aggressive action, and instead Good Dog goes and acts on her behalf," Miss Militia mused. "Did we ever get any limitations on distance between them?"
Armsmaster shook his head. "None. That and the intelligence would support the idea of Good Dog being a changer or a Case 53, which casts some unfortunate implications on its proximity to Brushstroke." Chessman winced. "Still, Chessman's range for controlled minions is quite large, so a projection isn't entirely out of the question. I did some tech trades and have developed a multi-frequency spectrogram device. If I can get close enough to Good Dog, I should be able to scan it and get some more accurate information. There is plenty of cover on the borders of the shrine, and—"
"Armsmaster, you are not creeping around in the bushes trying to take pictures of my daughter."
"...The pair also frequent a public park off the corner of 25th and Rime street."
"Armsmaster you are not creeping around in the bushes of a children's park trying to take pictures of my daughter!"
"I have to sneak up on Good Dog somewhere, Chessman!"
Director Piggot slammed one hand down on the table, silencing the pair before they could continue. "Enough! Armsmaster, you will get your opportunity to scan Good Dog, because I have a solution to this whole mess. Here is what is going to happen."
Chessman settled, but shot Armsmaster a warning glance. The Tinker simply grit his teeth a bit harder. "Which is, Director?"
"First, you are going to draw up the forms for both a Ward, and for a registered parahuman Rogue, and then you are going to put an ampersand in between Brushstroke and Good Dog. Separating them doesn't seem to be an option, so for the time being we are simply going to legally consider them one entity. Got it?"
"The Rogue forms are for if she refuses recruitment, yes?" Militia clarified. "I... would have thought this would be something we should insist upon."
"Normally, I would. But for once, I actually don't want to." Director Piggot's voice was laced with disbelief. "I would be completely fine with more capes wanting to just settle down and drink tea all day long. And if she continues to be a moderating force on Oni Lee, even better. But between her poorly-understood powers and her existing connection to the Protectorate, we don't have a choice in the matter. We have to approach her. We have to poke the bear that scolded Lung and got away with it." The director huffed, and shifted forward in her seat again.
"So— the forms. Armsmaster, once that's done, you are going to take a small team and go to the shrine, and you are going to employ the one solution we haven't tried and offer her a place with the Wards. It's a bit unorthodox, but I have high hopes for it."
"Which is?"
"It's called," Director Piggot said, spreading her hands back out in a dramatic pause. "Talking."
